ORIGINAL ARTICLE the Most Medicinal Plants Used in Iraq
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401 Advances in Environmental Biology, 5(2): 401-406, 2011 ISSN 1995-0756 This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed ORIGINAL ARTICLE The Most Medicinal Plants Used in Iraq: Traditional Knowledge Nahida ALBAYATY Department of Biology Ecole Normal Superior, Kouba, Alger, Algeria Nahida ALBAYATY: Department of Biology Ecole Normal Superior, Kouba, Alger, Algeria ABSTRACT The most medicinal plants used in Iraq will be identified in this work, and the popular medical heritage in Iraq by some of the old prescriptions prepared from a mixture of herbs, which is still used to the present day. This work will be in two axes, the first axis contains a comprehensive knowledge of the plants mentioned in this work, and the second axis will clarify the therapeutic qualities of ancient medical heritage of the Iraqis still in use until the present. This work demonstrates the most important medicinal plants used in Iraq and the old prescriptions, especially they are useful, because they had been tried and successful. This research will have continuity for other medicinal plants with old Iraqi recipes. Key words: Tradition in Iraq, Senna, Alseidd, Shefallah, chemical composition. Introduction research was in two axes. In the first axis, we made a card and database The use of medicinal plants in Iraq goes back technology for more than ten medicinal plants used thousands of years, and the clay tablets of Sumerian in Iraq. The second axis explained some of the old and Babylonian civilization clarified the use of many recipes, which we obtained through the elderly, as different methods of treatment by medicinal plants. well as the traditional books. The evolution of the use of medicinal plants continued through the ages, especially in a time of The First Axis: the Abbasid state, where the sciences reached its peak, and the first pharmacy in the world was in Card and Database Technology of 10 plants Baghdad in the late of eighth century AD. So, the mentioned in this work, which are given below in herbal therapy is of the things ancient and well- alphabetical order. known in Iraqi society, a source of healing for many diseases, and a lot of people trust their effectiveness 1- Balangu: in the treatment and healing. In the light of this work, we have clarified some of the medicinal plants The scientific name: Lallemantia royleana Benth. widely used in Iraq (scientific name, local name, Local name: Balangu. description of the plant…ect).as well as the Family: Lamiaceae traditional prescriptions, which are still used until Origin: Originally native to tropical Asia, It is now. found throughout Afghanistan Turkestan and northern India. Materials and methods Description of the plant: It is a hairy, tender low-growing herb. It grows between 20-60 cm tall, This work is a theoretical research depends on with opposite, light green, silky leaves. The flowers the study of the most important medicinal plants used are white, in whorls in the axils of the leaves. The in Iraq for the purpose of treatment. For that, this plant tastes somewhat like anise, with a strong, Corresponding Author: Nahida ALBAYATY, Department of Biology Ecole Normal Superior, Kouba, Alger, Algeria E-mail: [email protected] Tel:00213772453517 Adv. Environ. Biol., 5(2): 401-406, 2011 402 pungent sweet smell. The Main constituents: Bitter flavonoid The Parts used: Seeds glycosides, mustard oil glycoside and rutin. The Main Constituents: Seeds contain linoleic, palmitic and stearic acid, beta-sitosterol. Gum Medical Uses: contains L-arabinase,L-rhamnose,pentasans Protein. Amino acids are also found in the plant. Diuretic, repelling gas, disinfectant to the kidneys, treatment of low back. Medical uses in Iraq: Desinfectant to the kidney, repelling gas and treatment of low back. Balangu Seeds: 3- Colocynth: The scientific name: Citrullus colocynthis. Local name: Hanthale. Family: Cucurbilaceae. Origin: Native of Turkey also found in Africa and Asia. Description of the plant:It is an annual plant resembling the common watermelon. The stems are Medical Uses: herbaceous and beset with rough hairs, the leaves stand alternately on long petioles. They are triangular The moistened seeds are useful in abscesses and many cleft, variously sinuated, obtuse, hairy, a fine inflammations. They are considered to be astringent, green on upper surface, rough and pale under. cardiac tonic and carminative. Flowers yellow, appearing singly at axils of leaves, Medical uses in Iraq: Balangu seeds used in soft fruit globular, size of an orange, yellow and smooth, drink to treat stomach warmness and intestinal contains a white spongy pulp enclosing numerous troubles, and in treatment of abscesses (dimples). ovate compressed white or brownish seeds. The Parts used: Pulp and seeds. 2- Caper Bush: The Main constituents: The pulp contains colocynthium, gum, pectic acid, calcium, magnesium, The scientific name: Capparis spinosa. phosphates, lignin and water. Local name: Shefellah. Family: Capparidaceae. Origin: Mediterranean area, western or central Asia. Description of the plant: It is an evergreen, spiny, trailing, deciduous shrub growing up to 1-2 m in height. Leaves are alternate, round to ovate, thick, and glistening. Leaf stipules may be formed into spines. Flowers are white with numerous violet stamens. Seeds are large, kidney shaped, and gray- brown in color. The Parts used: All parts of the plant. Adv. Environ. Biol., 5(2): 401-406, 2011 403 Medical Uses: Origin: Southern Europe. Description of the plant:It grows to 20-70 cm Treatment of hemorrhoids, rheumatism, reducing tall, with very delicate light green fronds, much blood sugar, purgative. subdivided into pinnae 5-10 mm long and broad, the Medical uses in Iraq: Used for the treatment of frond rachis is black and wiry. rheumatism; constipation and hemorrhoids. The Parts used: Fronde. The Main constituents: The leaves contain 4- Lime: flavovoides, terpenes, tannins and proanthocyanidins of mucilage The scientific name: Citrus aurantifolia. Medical Uses: Local name: Noomi-Basorah. Family: Rutaceae. It is used against cough, bronchitis, nasal Origin: Native to Southeast Asia. It was secretions abundant and tracheitis. cultivated for centuries throughout Asia and the Medical uses in Iraq: Mixed with other herbs to Middle East. break up the gravel and sand in the kidney. Description of the plant: An evergreen shrub or much branched tree up to 5m in height, many sharp spines on stems and beside leaves, aromatic, shiny green leaves, 6-8 cm long, oval in shap.Fruit round or oval, to 6 cm in diameter but usually smaller, thin, ripening to yellow, although often used when green .Lime tends to be more aromatic in flavor and scent than other limes. The Parts used: Leaves, fruit, peel and oil are used. The Main constituents: Lime pericarp contains an essential oil whose main components are citral, limonene,β-pinene and fenchone.Further aroma compounds are terpineol,bisabolene and other 6- Senna: terpenoids. The scientific name: Cassia acutifolia. Medical Uses: Local name: Sanna Makki. Family: Caesalpiniaceae. Antiseptic, anti-viral, cough, cold, congestion, Origin: Tropical Africa. astringent, restorative and tonic. Description of the plant:It is a plant with pale green Medical uses in Iraq: The dried lime used in Iraq for stems and branches reaching up to 60 cm in heigh. stomach cramps, flatulence, intestinal spasms and The alternate leaves are even-pinnate, with four or inflammations. five pairs of lanceolate or obovate leaflets that are Dried limes brittle and grayish green in colour.The small yellow flowers are characterized an oblong pod about 5 cm long. The Parts used: Dried leaves, dried fruits (pods). The Main constituents: Anthracenic derivates, free anthraquinones and anthracenosides, eterosides, minerals. Medical Uses: Cathartic, laxative. Medical uses in Iraq: Treatment of constipation. 5- Maidenhair: The scientific name: Adiantum capllus-veneris. Local name: Krafs alber. Family: Adiantaceae. Adv. Environ. Biol., 5(2): 401-406, 2011 404 7- Shaterag: Flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins and fatty oils (glycerides). The scientific name: Fumaria parviflora. Medical Uses: Stimulant, tonic, diuretic, stomache, Local name: Shaterag. diaphoretic, astringent and vermifuge. Family: Fumariaceae. Medical uses in Iraq: For treating fever, digestive Origin: It is native to Europe, Asia and Africa, but system disorders (nausea, diarrhea…). it is widely distributed in many other parts of the world. Description of the plant: Annual herb, up to 15- 40 cm, erect or climbing plant. The flower stalks have approximately 20 white or pink-flushed flowers with blakish-red tips on the lateral petals. The small leaves are divided into narrow segments. The Parts used: The leaves and the seeds. The Main constituents: The plant contains the alkaloids fumarine, protopine and adlumidicaine, isoquinoline alkaloids, lahorine and lahoramine. Medical Uses: The plant is used as an anthelmintic, laxative and for treating dyspepsia, also used for skin disorders, the seeds are used as fomentation in painful swelling, against stomach pain, febrifuge and blood purifier. Medical uses in Iraq: It is used for treating skin disorders. 9- Tormentil: The scientific name: Potentilla erecta. Local name: Irk-alinjibar. Family: Rosaceae. Origin: The original habitat of this plant is the temperate areas in Asia and Europe. Description of the plant: It is a creeping herbaceous plant with height up to 15 cm.Palmate leaves with 3- 5 leaflets and many four-petalled flowers. The Parts used: Roots, leaves, flowers. The Main constituents: Tannin, tormentilline, chinoric-acid, kinovic acid, starch and other sugars. Medical Uses: Antibiotic, astringent, enuresis, haemostatic, hypoglycaemic, odontalogic. Medical uses in Iraq: For women:-To stop heavy bleeding. 8- Souchet Round: The scientific name: Cyperus rotundus. Local name: Alseid. Family: Cyperaceae. Origin: Africa, southern and central Europe and Southern Asia. Description of the plant: It is an herbaceous perennial with purple-brown, bisexual flowers. The fruit is a three-angled achene.The leaves are dark green, grass- like, with a prominent vein on the underside.